Liz Claiborne: Queen of Her Own Fashion Empire

After establishing herself as one of the world’s premiere fashion designers, Liz Claiborne went into business with her husband Arthur Ortenberg and founded Liz Claiborne Inc. (Now known as Kate Spade & Company) in 1976. 10 years later, the company went on to become the first company in history which was founded by a woman to make it to Fortune 500’s list of America’s Largest Corporations. Claiborne became the company’s CEO the following year until her retirement from active management in 1989.

Claiborne spent the rest of her life giving back through a foundation that she and her husband set up. The Liz Claiborne Art Ortenberg Foundation does a lot of charity work but is focused on environmental preservation programs including efforts to save the elephants in Mozambique and Gabon.

Claiborne passed away in 2007 after a long and arduous battle with a rare form of abdominal cancer. She was 78 years old.